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publications / briefings / 2017

Back to Business: Procedure at the start of a new Parliament

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This June 2017 briefing paper sets out the procedures and events that mark the first days and weeks of a new Parliament after a General Election and shape the operation of the Parliament thereafter, with reference to the start of the 2017 Parliament.

Download the briefing paper

The paper covers institutional steps required at the start of a new Parliament, such as the election of the House of Commons Speaker and Deputy Speakers, the swearing-in of MPs, and the establishment of select committees in both Houses and the election or appointment of their chairs and members. The paper also addresses the handling of the first items of business, such as the Queen’s Speech, a possible Budget, and the Private Members’ Bill ballots in both Houses.

The paper’s concluding section identified 11 institutional and procedural issues facing the Parliament elected in 2017.

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